J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Hardliners accuse Ansari of betrayal
Jammu, November 26
A section of hardliners has threatened leaders of the APHC (Abbas), asking them to stay away from the proposed dialogue, with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, even as the euphoria over the ceasefire is on the rise.

An elderly veiled women prays for the return of peace to Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of Id at Hazratbal Shrine in the out skirts of Srinagar on Wednesday. — PTI

Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen men killed
Srinagar, November 26
Three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, including a top commander, were among five persons killed in the Kashmir valley overnight.

Celebrating Id after 14 years
Pallanwala (Jammu and Kashmir), November 26
For the first time in 14 years people living near the Line of Control (LoC) today celebrated Id-ul-Fitr without fear of Pakistani mortar shells and gunfire.

126 Bangladeshis held in J&K
Jammu, November 26
The security forces have arrested 126 Bangladesh nationals for trying to cross over into Pakistan from the International Border in the Akhnoor and Hiranagar sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

Hardliners accuse Ansari of betrayal
M.L. Kak

Jammu, November 26
A section of hardliners has threatened leaders of the APHC (Abbas), asking them to stay away from the proposed dialogue, with the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, even as the euphoria over the ceasefire is on the rise.

Leaders of the Jamait-ul Mujahideen and the Peoples’ Resistence Force have accused the APHC (Abbas ) leaders of “betraying the people” by accepting the offer of talks.

In separate statements, they said the APHC (Abbas) leaders were doing what Sheikh Abdullah had done in 1974 by signing an accord with the Centre.

Farooq Rehmani, who heads a faction of the Peoples’ League and who has been appointed the convenor of APHC (Geelani) in Pakistan, has also accused Maulvi Abbas Ansari and his colleagues of betrayal.

It has been conveyed to Maulvi Abbas Ansari that Farooq Rehmani would join the APHC (Abbas) if they refused the offer of talks with Mr Advani.

However, Maulvi Abbas Ansari told this correspondent today, “Let Farooq Rehmani first explain why he was against talks with Delhi. If I am convinced by his arguments we may not hold parleys with the Centre.”

“There is no harm in entering into talks with Delhi. Once the talks make some headway Pakistan could be involved in the parleys at a later stage.”

The APHC Chairman said “we have decided to interact with Kashmiri engineers, lawyers, doctors, businessmen and teachers so that a consensus is reached regarding the strategy we will adopt during our discussion with the Indian leaders.”

“Even prior to the split in the APHC we were in favour of talks but we wanted senior political leaders, and not bureaucrats, from Delhi to interact with us. This demand was fulfilled when the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, appointed the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani, for talks”, he said.

“Kashmir has witnessed enough bloodshed and destruction. Time has come to sit together and find a solution to the Kashmir problem,” he added.

Two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen men killed

Srinagar, November 26
Three Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants, including a top commander, were among five persons killed in the Kashmir valley overnight.

Official sources told UNI that security forces laid an ambush on a tip off that some militants were likely to visit Sogam in the frontier district of Kupwara.

As soon as the militants reached near a particular place, they were directed to surrender by the security forces. The militants ignored the call for surrender and opened fire to which the security forces retaliated and the exchange continued for two hours.

The sources said later bodies of three militants, including a self-styled divisional commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Manzoor Ahmad, were recovered.

The sources said two bodies were recovered at Shivpora and Dargah last night.

The Border Security Force today seized six grenades and some ammunition from a militant hideout here, an official spokesman said. Besides the grenades, five AK magazines, 101 rounds, three gelatin sticks, one detonator and an IED switch were recovered from the hideout near the Hari Parbhat area of downtown Srinagar, he said.

JAMMU: Two security personnel were injured when militants ambushed a patrol party and opened indiscriminate fire in Rajouri hills of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said today. A patrol party of the Rashtriya Rifles was ambushed by militants, who fired and lobbed grenades at them this afternoon in the Dolian forest area in Rajouri district. — UNI, PTI

Celebrating Id after 14 years

Pallanwala (Jammu and Kashmir), November 26
For the first time in 14 years people living near the Line of Control (LoC) today celebrated Id-ul-Fitr without fear of Pakistani mortar shells and gunfire.

After the first-ever ceasefire in the state since the outbreak of militancy, no incident of firing was reported from either side.

Unable to hide their joy, the villagers came out on streets with drums.

“We are celebrating Id free and fearlessly just half-a-kilometre from the LoC for the first time in 14 years of turmoil in J-K,” a 72-year-old Gujjar, Din Mohmmad, who lives near Gakrial hamlet, 30 km from here, said.

In 2001 and 2003 none of us could celebrate Id as Pak shelling was so intense that we had to migrate and live in camps in safe areas. Two persons had died in the shelling,” he added.

He said villagers could not sleep last night due to complete silence. “We had become habituated to shelling and firing.”

An old woman, Gain Devi, said the villagers who used to witness 1,000 to 1,200 rounds of firing and shelling every day, were unable to “believe their eyes and ears.”

Nund Lal, who lost his daughter in Pakistan shelling, said the border villagers, “who used to see blood and death each day”, were very happy over truce between the two countries at least for Id.

“There should be permanent truce along the Indo-Pak border, and people be allowed to live in peace,” the villagers said.

“The ceasefire is a welcome step, there should be permanent ceasefire along the Indo-Pak border. The borderline has been a killing field over the years,” state Tourism Minister Gulam Ahmed Mir said. — PTI

126 Bangladeshis held in J&K

Jammu, November 26
The security forces have arrested 126 Bangladesh nationals for trying to cross over into Pakistan from the International Border in the Akhnoor and Hiranagar sectors in Jammu and Kashmir.

As many as 35 of the 126 persons held, including eight women and 15 children, were apprehended while they were trying to enter Pakistan from the Makwal area in Akhnoor sector, official sources said here today.

Another group of 91 Bangladeshis, including 71 men, 14 women and six children, were taken into custody by the Border Security Force personnel at Londi near the IB in the Hiranagar sector, the sources said.

After preliminary interrogation, BSF personnel handed over the arrested persons to the local police. — PTI